Wines of Uruguay: Delicious, Interesting, Unique
Uruguay is the second-smallest country in mainland South America (only Suriname is smaller than Uruguay). It also has the highest level of education in South America, and the highest level of beef consumption in the entire world – and cows outnumber people in Uruguay 4 to 1.
Uruguay also makes world-class wines.
There are 14, 804 acres of vineyards in Uruguay, occupying an area a little bit bigger than Saint-Émilion in Bordeaux and a little bit smaller than Alexander Valley in California. Uruguay is the only South American winemaking country whose terroir is affected by the Atlantic Ocean. It is also interesting to note that the vineyards of Maldonado, the largest winemaking region in Uruguay, are planted above some of the oldest rocks on earth, the Río de La Plata craton, which is 2.5 billion years old. Currently, there are 168 wineries in Uruguay, producing 70 million bottles annually.
Bodega Garzón. Source: Uruguay Wine
Uruguay is best known for its Tannat wines, and Tannat occupies about 27% of all the area under vine in Uruguay. Actually, Merlot is the second most planted variety, followed by Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Marselan, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Albariño, and others. There are also six main winemaking regions in Uruguay – Northern Shore, Southern Shore, Metropolitan, Oceanic, Center, and North, each divided into subregions. There are also five distinctive terroirs across these six winemaking regions, influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, rivers, amounts of rain (these can differentiate widely), and winds.
For more grapey details and the latest statistics, I need to refer you to the Uruguay Wine website, where we will talk about delicious, interesting, and unique.
The last time I tasted Uruguayan wines was about a year and a half ago. This year, I had a “double exposure” to the wines from Uruguay – Tannat red wines at the beginning of the year, and then the whites a few weeks ago. So the delicious part is easy, as many of the wines were simply delicious. Interesting and unique require some explanations.
Typically, when it comes to food (and wine), “interesting” is rarely a positive descriptor. However, in our case, it is also not negative, and it really should be processed together with unique. The white wines were interesting, as while they were made from the familiar grapes (Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Albariño), they didn’t taste much like familiar grapes, maybe with the exception of the Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier to some degree. Another unique trait of this group was in the fact that the wines kept evolving for probably 2 weeks after being first opened, mostly just getting better and rounder as time passed. I have some reflections on this in the notes, so this is what you will see below.
Here are my notes:
2023 Famile Lahusen Riesling Los Cerros de San Juan (12.3% ABV, $25) – the oldest winery in Uruguay, producing wines since 1854.
Straw pale
Herbs, Meyer lemon
Sweet fruit on palate, doesn’t taste like Riesling at all. Better tasting on the 3rd day, a bit more balanced.
Not bad, 7+
It actually became better over the next few days, getting to an 8- rating, but by no means this is your classic Riesling…
2024 Traversa Sauvignon Blanc Montevideo (13.5% ABV, $16)
Light Straw pale
Citrus, freshly cut grass, delicate, inviting
A touch of freshly cut grass, but mostly whitestone fruit on the 3rd day.
8-, enjoyable.
2013 Viña Progreso Bodega Experimental Overground Viognier Progreso Region (12.5% ABV, $26)
Straw pale
Interesting nose with a hint of brown butter notes, hints on plumpiness of the wine (day 3)
A hint of butter on the palate, quickly displaced by cut-through acidity. The wine had a lot more Viognier aromatics on the 1st day, but now feels like a nice Chardonnay (in blind tasting this would be my only guess)
8, very nice. One of my favorite whites of the tasting.
2024 Bouza Albariño Uruguay (12.5 % ABV, $28)
Straw pale
Perfumy, flowery nose with tropical fruit notes
Guava, a tropical fruit on the palate. Missing characteristic acidity and salinity. Not a bad wine, but doesn’t sing “Albariño” for me
7+
2023 Garzón Single Vineyard Albariño Maldonado (14% ABV, $35)
Light golden
Second day nose – hint of gunflint, butter, a distant hint of honey (first day the smell was not great)!
Second day palate – excellent, salinity, acidity, very much resembling a classic Albariño, still with a distant hint of kerosene, but now it can be ignored. The first day was chemically undrinkable.
8, needs time
2024 Familia Deicas Atlántico Sur Albariño Uruguay (12.3% ABV, $20)
Greenish/very light golden color
On the first day, the nose was very sweet. Second day- less sweet, tropical fruit.
Sweet but now with salinity coming through – this is on the second day. The first day the wine was cloyingly sweet.
7+, it is drinkable, but don’t try pairing oysters with it.
And now, for the reds:
2018 Alto de La Ballena Reserva Tannat Viognier Maldonado Uruguay (14% ABV, 85% Tannat, 15% Viognier)
Dark garnet, almost black
Dark cherries, tobacco, inviting
Tart cherries, minerality, crisp acidity, well integrated tannins, a bit of chalk, perfectly balanced
8+ – happy to see that I continue liking this wine the year after tasting it for the first time (last year’s notes can be found here)
2020 Cerro del Torro Tannat Maldonado Uruguay (15% ABV)
Dark garnet
A hint of a barnyard, herbs, dark fruit
Cherries, earthiness, pronounced minerality, a hint of tobacco, good acidity, tart finish.
7+/8-
2021 Garzón Tannat Reserva Uruguay (14% ABV)
Dark garnet
Ripe dark fruit, stony minerality, herbs, distant hint of barnyard
Dark fruit, espresso, cherries, firm structure, clean acidity, round, well balanced.
8-/8
2020 Pisano RPF Tannat Reserva Personal de la Familia Uruguay (14% ABV)
Dark Ruby
Red fruit, herbs, medium+ intensity
Tart, crisp, tart cherries, medium body, firm structure, cut-through acidity.
8-, food wine more than anything.
If you took a moment to glance at the notes, I’m sure you found them all – delicious, interesting, and unique. The whites definitely need some additional work, but they are unquestionably interesting, and I do mean it in a positive way. There are plenty of simply delicious wines from Uruguay, definitely worth seeking, so I hope that I encouraged you to give them a try when you have an opportunity. Cheers!
Beautiful Hungarian Wines, a Deep Immersion
Hungarian wines need no introduction to the wine lovers.
Or they actually might.
Hungary is one of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world, going back to the Roman times (also the Hungarian language is one of only three European languages outside of Latin that have wine terms in the language). It is not for nothing one of the better-known wine brands in Hungary is called Royal Tokaji. Tokaji, the dessert wine produced from the local white grape called Furmint, can give the run for money to the best BA and TBA Rieslings and best Sauternes. It used to be a treat suitable and available only for the royalty, with its official appellation classification predating Port by a few decades.
Then it all came to an abrupt halt. First, the Phylloxera epidemic which destroyed literally all vineyards in Hungary at the end of the 19th century. Then, as the wine industry started to recover, came two world wars, and the communist regime right after. Thus while we can say that Hungary has very old wine traditions, the Hungarian wine industry is very young, with its modern history not exceeding even 40 years.
I just came back after spending 4 days in Budapest, the capital city of Hungary. And while working 9-5 all 4 days, I still managed to get a good taste of the Hungarian wines, and I have to say that it was one delicious and very impressive experience. And even as most of these wines would be hard to find outside of Hungary (okay, that should be reasonably not difficult for the people in Europe, but very difficult in the US for sure), I still believe the experience is well worth sharing.
I will simply recount my experience in chronological order, as I was tasting the wines. And by the way, I made my inner grape geek very happy, by adding 5 new rare grapes to the collection.
I started my “deep immersion” on Monday night at a dinner. The restaurant had a few interesting (read: made from rare grapes) wines which I was happy to order by the glass.
2022 Bussay Pince Csörnyeföldi Csókaszőlő Zala (11.5% ABV, certified organic, rare grape: Csókaszőlő)
Fresh herbal nose
Fresh acidity, Beaujolais-like mouthfeel, sour cherries, gamey, nice, food friendly
2021/2022 Bóka Birtok Jakab Kadarka Tolna (12.5% ABV, Jakab Kadarka, a.k.a. Jab Kadarka a.k.a. Italian Kadarka, rare grape: Jakab Kadarka)
Red fruit on the nose
Bigger and more round body than a previous one, dark fruit, good balance, good acidity, thoroughly pleasant
Upon returning to the hotel after dinner, I didn’t feel like going to sleep yet, so I decided to get a glass of wine, and the Tokaji looked very attractive – and at about $11 for a glass, a pure steal.
2017 Royal Tokaji Borászat Mad Royal Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyous (11% ABV)
Delicious nose of sweet, ripe fruit – white peach, pear, a touch of honey.
A symphony of flavor on the palate – beautiful ripe fruit, layers of flavor, perfect acidity, perfect balance, pure delight.
Superb.
On Tuesday, we had a short bus tour of Budapest, and our tour guide mentioned that if someone likes wine, he highly recommends visiting a wine bar called Vinlkli. The name was easy to remember – a cross between Vino and Bicycle, and the bar was also conveniently located about 2 minutes walking distance from the hotel where I was staying, so it was a no-brainer decision to visit the place. Boy, what a right decision that was…
When I came over, there was literally no space to sit at this tiny bar. Not speaking the language, I got rather a cold shoulder from both bartenders, so I was intimidated, but determined. A space in the corner opened up so I was able to take it, and then I just pointed to the wine I wanted to taste strictly based on the label (there was no printed wine list of any sort, and I couldn’t understand anything written on the board hanging on the wall).
I happened to choose skin contact wine, and it was excellent:
2023 Turay Családi Pincészet Borsementa (11% ABV, 4 days with skin contact, natural wine, rare grape: Borsementa)
You can assume skin contact once you smell the wine – a touch of herbal notes on the nose with a hint of the freshly fermented fruit, following by lemon/apple/peppermint medley on the palate. Fresh, energetic, delicious.
As a few more people left the bar, the bartender finally got a bit more time, and he understood that I was actually at the bar on purpose, so now he started suggesting wines to taste. Next wine white wine was literally out of this world:
2020 Mariasy Tokaji Furmint Hungary (13% ABV)
Wow. Is “blown away” is sufficient wine descriptor?
This wine was truly something else. A hint of honey on the nose, white fruit, fresh and inviting. The palate was mind-blowing – generous, plump, supple, crisp honey and lemon notes, layers and layers of pleasure. This will be easily a “wine of the year” contender. Just superb.
I’m literally salivating as I’m writing this post – I would love to have a glass of this wine right now. Just now.
From here on, the new wines were arriving without interruption:
2022 Szentezi Prince Fekete Muskotály (12.5% ABV, rare grape: Fekete Muskotály)
This wine was light and fruity. Somewhat similar to Beaujolais Nouveau but with a bit more substance, loaded with fresh wild berries. Good acidity. Refreshing. Should be great with food.
2022 Sziegl Pince Kadarka Bisztró Hajós-Bahai Hungary (11% ABV)
Yet another light and fruity red, red fruit, simple, clean, light. Well balanced, good acidity.
2020 Nyolcas és Fia Borház Turán (13% ABV, rare grape: Turán)
Dark fruit on the nose, dark fruit on the palate, good mid-palate weight, good structure, excellent wine.
2016 Heumann Syrah Villányi Védett Eredetú Prémium (14% ABV)
Really was not expecting Syrah, but this was an excellent choice. Dark, concentrated, brooding, cherries, a hint of pepper, round, good balance, perfectly well drinkable.
Truth be told, I didn’t have much luck with the food at the restaurants. Yelp is unavailable in Hungary, and I find that TripAdvisor restaurant information is subpar, so the only option left is Google.
Through my search, I found a restaurant called Parisi 6. I almost skipped it at first, as I thought that based on the name it would be a French restaurant. But the menu suggested that this would be a traditional Hungarian restaurant, so I decided to give it a try on the last evening.
The food was excellent (finally had a goulash soup that I enjoyed), and the service was even better than the food if this is possible – ultra-friendly, attentive, and helpful.
Here are the wines we had at a restaurant:
2022 Skrabski Furmint (13% ABV, low histamine (!) wine due to a special strain of yeast used for fermentation)
Whitestone fruit on the nose, Chardonnay-like appearance on the palate, vanilla, fresh apples and hint of apples, fresh acidity. Food friendly.
2022 Szemes Villányi Cabernet Sauvignon Villányi Védett Eredetú Száraz Classicus Vörösbor (14% ABV)
I actually thought asked for a different red wine on the list (Kadarka), but somehow this wine appeared at our table, and the very first sip suggested that mistake or not, this was an excellent choice.
Beautiful core of dark berries, cassis, cassis, and a hint of bell pepper on the palate, round, medium to full body, delicious.
2023 Tokaj Nobilis Szôlôbirtok Kövérszölö Edes Fehérbor
I asked for the dessert wine to have at the end of the dinner. Our waiter suggested that Tokaji would be very expensive, and suggested that this wine would be a more reasonable but still a good choice. Wow. This wine literally delivered an experience. The wine was all into a sweet apple profile – ripe apple on the nose, ripe sweet apples on the palate, perfect sweetness balanced with perfect acidity. And the best part? Our dessert choice was apple strudel, and my oh my, was this a heavenly combination…
That’s my deep dive into Hungarian wines in a good amount of detail. If you have an opportunity, definitely look for the Hungarian wines, I’m sure you will not regret it.
And before we part, two more little tidbits of my experience in Budapest.
I walked a few times to the river, going past this building:
and thinking that this was a museum or some sort of historical building. On my last day, I was looking for a place to get some specialty Hungarian foods, such as Pick salami for example (when fresh, might be the best salami in the world). Somehow, google suggested that there is a supermarket inside that “historic building”. Surprised but obedient, I crossed the road and read the “Central Market” sign above the entrance! The building might be historic, but inside I found lots of small shops offering all types of Hungarian specialty food. The place was somewhat similar to Chelsey Markets in New York – if you ever visited you would get the idea. I was happy to find a pick salami to bring home and much more.
And last but not least, a few pictures of the beautiful Budapest town:
Budapest is a beautiful town, and Hungarian wines are delicious and evolving. Did I just set up your next travel itinerary or what? Cheers!
[Beaujolais] Nouveau Est Arrivé! 2024 Edition
Beaujolais Nouveau Est Arrivé!
Nouveau Est Arrivé!
Yes, it is the third Thursday in November, and it is an important day for those of us who still believe in the magic of wine – even if you shrug off the Beaujolais Nouveau as a marketing gimmick, you are still aware of the importance of the day, and whether you like it or not, consider yourself included 🙂
Every third Thursday in November and not a day earlier, Beaujolais Nouveau appears in wine stores around the world. Beaujolais Nouveau is the first wine of the new vintage in France, a young wine made to celebrate a new harvest. Georges Duboeuf is credited with making a centuries-old tradition into a marketing phenomenon more than 35 years ago – I’m not sure how much clout the celebration has today in the US, but it still has my attention.
Let me expand a bit on this. I’m traveling this week for work in Orlando, Florida. In Florida, wine is sold everywhere, from pharmacies to supermarkets to specialty wine stores. I visited the ABC Wines store (one of the popular wine retailers here, similar to Total Wines) at the beginning of the week and asked if they would be selling Beaujolais Nouveau on Thursday. The lady was not sure and suggested to call on Thursday to find out.
Today is that Thursday, and I started calling the store I visited on Monday. It took me four tries, but I finally got to a human. The lady on the phone said that they don’t have Beaujolais Nouveau at her store, but she was kind enough to check in the system and said that another ABC Wines store about 5 miles from the first one has it in stock.
Next, I decided to check if Whole Foods might have the wine in stock. I got to the human relatively quickly, but then the human said that she would go and check if they had Beaujolais Nouveau in stock. After 15+ minutes of music on hold, I decided that I would simply have to drive to the store to find out myself after I was done with work.
My first inclination was to drive to the ABC Wines location that was supposed to have the wine. After seeing that it would take me 35+ minutes to get there, I decided to try my luck with Whole Foods. Well, that didn’t work – no such luck. And now I was even further from ABC Wines which had the wine. Before giving up, I decided to make one more attempt – this time, with Trader Joe’s, which was only a mile away. A mile is not a mile in Florida, considering how overloaded the roads are and how long Florida traffic lights take… But nevertheless…
I arrived at Trader Joe’s, and found nothing after scouring the wine section for a few rounds. But unlike Whole Foods, in Trader Joe’s there is always someone you can ask (a floor manager). When I asked about Beaujolais Nouveau, there was a short pause during which I decided that there will be no Beaujolais Nouveau for me today, but then I heard – “hmmm, I think we got something last night, let me check”. 2 minutes later, the floor manager showed up with the bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau, which put a huge (huge!) smile on my face, and I thanked him profusely but managed not to hug him. After all, I was going to taste Beaujolais Nouveau on the day when it was released!
Every year I say that the quality of Beaujolais Nouveau gets better and better. I guess if I would sum up those statements, this Beaujolais Nouveau should taste better than DRC… I don’t know if it gets better every year anymore – at this point, I believe Beaujolais Nouveau got to the point of consistently high quality, good enough that I’m happy to drink it every year – at least Georges Duboeuf’s rendition for sure – here are my notes.
Lastly, here is a little treat for you:
Every year, the bottles of Beaujolais Nouveau are adorned with specially designed labels, sometimes even multiple labels from the same producer for the same wine – I have no idea how that works. As I have been writing about Beaujolais Nouveau every year since this blog started, I can offer you a collection of labels starting with the 2010 vintage. As Georges Dubouef is the one and only producer I was able to taste every year, below is my little “show and tell” limited only to the labels of Georges Duboeuf wines I tasted throughout the years. In case you feel like it, you can even choose your favorite label and share it in the comments (sorry, this is not a competition so no prizes will be awarded).
Here we go:
Beaujolais Nouveau 2024 has arrived, and if you haven’t tasted one yet – what are you waiting for? Taste it now and let me know what you think! Cheers!
Fall Colors 2024: Early and Extended
As I love photography, it always gives me great pleasure to share a few pictures on these pages. Fall colors are no strangers here with many posts over the years, so this is what this will be all about.
Continuing the tradition, a few words about Fall 2024. I don’t think I remember the fall so dry – starting from mid-September, we maybe had one day of rain here in New England and surrounding areas. The fall colors started gently arriving at the end of September, but even now (the second half of November) some of the trees are still standing in full beauty.
We had an opportunity to visit a few places in Pennsylvania and New York, so here is a collection of autumn 2024 moments for you:
Beautiful views at Pound Ridge town park in New York:
Next, a few pictures from the Grey Towers in Pocono Mountains and our walk along the Delaware River, all in Pennsylvania:
Here are late October impressions from the Locust Grove Estate in Poughkeepsie in New York, and beautiful Hudson River scenery from the Walkaway over Hudson. By the way, if you are ever in the area, I highly recommend visiting both:
Lastly, a few “home” impressions from Stamford, right from our neighborhood:
Last but not least, I need to mention a couple of wines:
2018 Anaperenna by Ben Glaetzer Barossa Valley (14.5% ABV, 82% Shiraz, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, unfiltered) was superb – layers of dark fruit on the nose and on the palate, peppery undertones, eucalyptus, impeccably balanced, round and polished. I’m definitely not drinking enough of the Australian wines of this level, and I would be happy to fix that.
2021 Le Clos du Caillou Cotes du Rhone Cuvee Unique Vieilles Vignes (14% ABV) was beautiful – earthy black fruit on the nose, round and polished with good structure on the palate, with gobs of cherries, perfect acidity and perfect balance. I’m generally not a big fan of Cote du Rhone as many of the wines from this region are quite underwhelming – but Caillou is a good producer, and I’m glad I grabbed 6 pack from the Last Bottle wines to enjoy this simple but classy red over the next few years.
That’s all I have for you, my friends. How is your fall going?
Travel Diaries: Cote d’Azur, Pink Sunsets and Rare Grapes
Cote d’Azur.
French Riviera.
One of the most coveted vacation destinations in the world. I didn’t know that, but according to Wikipedia, “Riviera is an Italian word that originates from the ancient Ligurian territory of Italy, wedged between the Var and Magra rivers. Côte d’Azur is originally a nickname given by France to the County of Nice after its annexation in 1860, because the climate was similar to that of the north of Italy, even in winter, with “a sky as blue as its sea”.” I know it is summer, but here is my illustration of the point above:
An evening in Antibes
Over the past 10 years, I had to travel to Nice a good number of times, and always for business. As a business traveler, I always held a grudge against these trips to the South of France – I don’t like Nice airport, it is one of the most uncomfortable ones, and I had my share of bad experiences in Nice. But the last trip was admittedly better perceived – I stayed at a brand new Marriott property, Moxy in Sophia-Antipolis, which was very nice. And we spent most of our free evenings in Antibes, which is a beautiful small town – still with lots of tourists, but overall incomparable to the crowds of Nice itself.
As you already know, I’m here to inundate you with pictures. As we visited Antibes (and Nice once) only in the evening, the majority of the pictures are related to the sunset. Here you go:
It is not only the sunsets that provided a source of enjoyment during our walks. Thought-provoking, creative statues by Nicolas Lavarenne were another great entertaining element of the Antibes boardwalk – I have to say that I really enjoyed them. Here are a few of the highlights:
Here are more of the sunset pictures:
And now my most favorite, the one I promised you in the title of this post – pink sunset:
Before we part, a few words about the wine. I had a few of the decent wines during the week, some local, some not. 2023 Estandon Brise Marine Blanc Méditerranée IGP (Clairette, Ugni Blanc) and 2023 Estandon Brise Marine Rosé Méditerranée IGP (Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah) were both on point, crisp, refreshing and light. 2020 Caves de Rauzan Mascottes Olga Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Bordeaux AOC (13.5% ABV) was also very good, on par with the excellent 2020 vintage, and overall very generous and supple.
My personal highlight was the 2020 Château de Bellet Rouge Bellet AOP (14.5% ABV, 35% Folle Noire, 25% Braquet, 40% Grenache). This was a super-local wine, with the vineyards and winery located in the Nice area. The wine had a nice core of dark fruit, a hint of my beloved barnyard and a silky-smooth texture. Not only the wine was delicious, but it also added two new rare grapes to my collection, inching closer to the coveted Hexavin goal.
That’s all I have for you today. Hope you enjoyed looking at the pictures as much as I had fun taking them.
A Perfect Monday Wine?
Is there such a thing as the perfect wine for Monday?
Or, can there be a specific perfect wine for every day of the week?
Yes and no.
The answer is yes if you feel like it. You can create your own tradition – for example, “every Friday I drink Cabernet Sauvignon”, or “every Sunday I drink Chardonnay”. Sure, you can create such a tradition, but why?
A better answer is “no, there is no specific wine for every day of the week”, there is only wine you want to drink today.
On second thought, maybe? Just for Monday?
There is an abundance of jokes about Monday – purportedly the most difficult day of the week. Arrival of Monday means the weekend is over – and there is a whole work week ahead. But then Monday night means the first day of the week is over – and the weekend just got a little bit closer – isn’t that a reason to celebrate?
And yet, even if Monday deserves its own special wine, what that can be?
Ha! The answer is simple. It is what you crave. Your idea of special Monday wine doesn’t have to be the same as my idea, or anyone else’s idea. Whatever you decide to drink on Monday will be your special Monday wine. For this one Monday, of course.
For whatever reason, today I was craving power. “Power” is not your typical wine descriptor, no doubt every wine lover would have a personal definition of this term. To me “power” means big wine which gives you a lot to “chew on”, but I don’t mean it in the sense of the new French oak tannins literally numbing your taste buds for the next 5 hours. I’m talking more about the massive presence of the wine on your palate, full-bodied, with dark fruit and a variety of spices. My power wines are Petite Sirah, Montefalco Sagrantino, wines made from the Eastern European grape Vranec, maybe some of the renditions of Alicante Bouschet (this is not universal).
In the majority of the cases, the “power” wine should also have some age on it, to make it drinkable. Anyone who tried young California Petite Sirah or Montefalco Sagrantino will understand what I’m talking about.
My choice of the power wine with age – the 2014 Turley Petite Syrah Pesenti Vineyard Paso Robles (14.4% ABV). Turley is best known for its Zinfandel wines, but it also produces a number of Petite Sirah wines, which are equally outstanding.
The wine had the perfect amount of power I was looking for. Abundant red and black fruit, cherries and cherry pits, firm structure, full body, espresso and pepper showing up at random, perfect acidity, impeccable balance. Answering Kevin Zraly’s question – “does this wine give you pleasure” I can only say that this wine was definitely giving the pleasure and lots of it, as I’m looking at an empty bottle right now.
What would be your Monday wine choice?
Travel Diaries: A Few Days in Chicago With A Few Wine Tidbits
Chicago might be my second favorite big American city after New York. Of course, this is a business traveler’s opinion (planned many times to visit the city of Chicago as a tourist, but this never happened so far). Situated largely around the Chicago River, the city offers magnificent views all around (just scroll down :)). The city also played a cornerstone role in American history, so you can’t help but think about all that was happening on those streets…
I spent pretty much an entire [work] week in the city, and had an opportunity to walk around a bit (mostly in the evenings). I stayed at the Fairmont Hotel, so most of my pictures, obviously, are taken in the proximity of that hotel (and some are just from the room). The hotel was very nice, no complaints. However, last year I stayed at the Palmer House Hotel, and being a historic hotel (the Palmer House was built in 1871/1875, while Fairmont was built in 1987), it offered a lot more charm – to my taste, of course. Okay, now you will have to scroll for a bit to get the wine portion.
I hope these pictures give you an idea about the beautiful city of Chicago – of course, nothing can replace first-hand experience so you might want to add Chicago to your “to visit” list. Now, a few thoughts about wine.
As I’m sure you know my habits by now – when I travel, if convenient, I like to buy wine in the local supermarkets and grocery stores, just to see what is going on with the local wine scene. In Chicago, I visited Whole Foods and a large supermarket called Mariano’s, and I bought a bottle of wine at each place. Before we talk about particular wines, I just want to make a more generic comment, about the state of the wine market overall.
Media loves to talk about how wine is losing its popularity – not all of the alcohol categories, as wine stores can’t keep enough of the High Noons on the shelves, but specifically wine. People are buying less wine, people don’t drink wine, especially young people, and yada yada yada. I visited two large supermarkets, and both of them had shelves and shelves full of wine from around the world. These supermarkets are located in downtown Chicago, where real estate, I’m sure, is at a premium. If wine didn’t sell, these supermarkets wouldn’t keep such a supply on the shelves and give it so much space in the store. So I think the wine market is doing just fine…
Now, let’s talk about a few of my wine experiences in Chicago. First, I got this 2020 Famille Perrin Nature Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge (14.5% ABV, Grenache, Syrah, aged in stainless steel/oak barrels for 1 year, organic grapes) at Whole Foods. Perrin is a well-known name in French winemaking, and specifically in the Rhone – the family owns one of the most famous Rhone estates, Chateau de Beaucastel. When I saw this wine on the shelf for $15.99 (it was also on sale and cost $14 and a change), it was a perfect combination of a good name and a good price. Perrin family had been farmed organically for more than 40 years, and now this wine comes from a certified organic vineyard. I’m always a bit afraid that generic Côtes-du-Rhône red would be a little wimpy – the fear was unjustified with this wine, which delivered a perfect core of the dark fruit, good energy, perfect balance of acidity with well-integrated tannins. Definitely try this wine if you will see it.
My visit to Mariano’s yielded this NV Locations F French Wine Release 7 France (15.5% ABV, a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and assorted Bordeaux varietals, barrel-aged for 10 months). The wine selection at Mariano’s was large, but not interesting. I didn’t want to spend too much, so the Locations F at $19.99 was not the best value, but the most reasonable value/interesting wine compromise I could come up with.
Location wines are produced by well-known California winemaker, Dave Phinney, of Orin Swift Cellars fame (Prisoner, Machete, …). Location wines are typically non-vintage, and produced from the variety of grapes in the country of origin which is depicted on the label – F and FR for France, I and IT for Italy, CA for California, ES for Spain, and so on – you can learn more here. While the wines are not vintage-specific, there are different release numbers and each release might have an entirely different grape composition. For example, the Location F I had in 2015 was a Cabernet Sauvignon wine from France, while this release 7 is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and other varieties.
The wine had a nice core of dark fruit, good acidity, and good overall balance. If I hadn’t looked at the label, I would never tell that it had 15.5% ABV – the alcohol was very well integrated and didn’t affect an overall balance. Not sure this would be my go-to wine at $20, but at the same time it was not the worst value either.
There is one more wine I would like to talk about here – 2021 Foradori Teroldego Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT (12% ABV, cement tanks and used 20 to 40 hectoliters foudres for about 12 months, certified biodynamic). I had this wine at the Siena Tavern restaurant. To be entirely honest, this was almost the cheapest wine at $78. If there is one thing I despise with passion, it is ridiculously priced wine lists at restaurants. This same wine can be found in retail for about $25, so it was priced at triple retail. Definitely not the worst, as I’m sure the obscure nature of Teroldego played a role here – baby Ornellaia, Le Volte dell’Ornellaia, was priced at $89 on the same list, which makes it 4 (four!) times retail. I know a restaurant is a business, but come on… have common sense. I have to say that I didn’t see too many people with wine bottles on the tables, maybe that wine list requires some thought…
The wine itself was excellent. A touch gamey, both on the nose and the palate, dark fruit, roasted meat notes, crisp acidity – it was drinking very well… I looked up Fordari wines, and frankly, I would like to try other wines in the portfolio, especially the single vineyard Teroldegos.
Here you are, my friends – my Chicago trip with a few wines attached.
Guest Post: Want to Make Your 2024 Special Occasions Memorable? Consider these 10 Wines for Toasting
Today, I’m offering you a guest post by Kevin Fagan, a food & travel writer, based in New England with experience in the catering industry. Kevin is always on the lookout for the trendiest food spots and bars on his travels and also likes to keep his finger on the pulse of the latest news in the world of catering & restaurants.
Whether it’s a Thanksgiving party or a wedding reception, giving a toast and having all your guests raise their glasses in unison is one of the most awaited moments of a celebration.
What matters most is not just any wine but the right wine, one that can elevate every sip and enhance the overall experience of the occasion. With the myriad of varieties in the market, selecting the perfect one for the toast may seem daunting.
This article is here to guide you through the top ten wines for a perfect toast. Consider the styles and flavors to ensure you make the right choice for your special occasion!
Prosecco
Originally from the Veneto region of Italy, this sparkling wine is a classic favorite for a joyful experience. Its light feel and refreshing bubbliness make it the perfect choice for toasting at a luxurious celebration. For example, a wedding reception at an elegant ballroom in Los Angeles certainly calls for a prosecco toast.
Prosecco to try: Bisol Jeio Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG
Cava
Magnificence meets excellence with this Catalan sparkling wine, made with Macabeo, Parellada, and Xarel-lo grape varieties. You don’t have to limit cava to toasting; you can use it for any occasion. Serve it with aperitifs and desserts or throughout a meal because it pairs well with almost anything.
Cava to try: Sigura Viudas Brut Reserva Heredad Cava DO
Port
With sweet notes and a luscious mouthfeel, this fortified wine is famous for its intensely rich flavor profile, which includes hints of dried fruits and spices. Apart from being a unique toasting choice, Port Wine pairs perfectly with desserts, especially chocolate-based ones and charcuterie platters, which is why it’s a great choice for savoring and sipping for your guests.
Port to try: Graham’s Six Grapes Reserve Port
Grenache
A blend of red berry flavors and mild spiciness makes Grenache a perfect match not just for giving a toast but also for serving with many dishes. Its Spanish and overall Mediterranean influences make it a perfect wine for holiday celebrations, especially those with dishes like roasted lamb, stews, and braised meats.
Grenache to try: Carlisle Grenache Rossi Ranch Sonoma Valley
Sauvignon Blanc
With crispy acidity and hints of soft herbs, jasmine, and honeysuckle aromas that lead to and reveal layers of citrus and melon, this complex wine will make for a great toast. Plus, Sauvignon Blanc is a great choice to contrast the heavy richness of celebration meals. If you like the zestier varieties, look for French bottlings or ones from New Zealand’s Marlborough region.
Sauvignon Blanc to try: Montes Sauvignon Blanc Limited Selection Leyda Valley DO
Riesling
Riesling’s sweet, fruity notes make it a versatile choice for toasting and having your guests enjoy it with their meal. Its electric crackle of acidity and subtle sweetness give Rielsing a very distinct flavor profile, making it a highly cherished option among wine lovers. It is also a good alternative to the traditional varieties from France’s Alsace and New York’s Finger Lakes regions.
Reisling to try: Brooks Ara Riesling Willamette Valley
Chardonnay
Known to be among the most crowd-pleasing options, Chardonnay’s versatility and smooth finish make it one way to give an amazing toast while also pleasing your guests. This white wine also pairs well with many foods, including poultry, vegetables, and seafood, making it an excellent choice no matter what your palate desires.
Chardonnay to try: Balverne Chardonnay Russian River Valley AVA
Pinot Noir
Any holiday celebration means delicious meals. Whether it’s turkey with cranberry sauce or glazed ham, Pinot Noir’s bright acidity and red fruit flavors make it the perfect wine to enhance the flavors of a rich meal. So, it goes without saying that you can give a heartfelt toast while also leaving your guests’ tastebuds in awe.
Pinot Noir to try: Vino Vasai Pinot Noir Estate Reserve Chehalem Mountains
Beaujolais Nouveau
Made from the Gamay grape south of Burgundy, Beaujolais Nouveau is all things fresh, fruity, and festive. Since it was originally produced to toast the end of the harvest season, toasting couldn’t get any better than with this young and easy style of wine. This one, too, is a crowd favorite and pairs perfectly with a variety of dishes.
Beaujolais Nouveau to try: Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau AOP
Champagne
We saved the best for last because Champagne is perhaps the most widely used sparkling wine for toasts. Filled with luxe and elegance, Champagne is a drink you would have to use for celebrations like lavish wedding receptions in a beach club, castle, theater, etc. Plus, it’s amazingly compatible with fish, poultry, red meats, shellfish, desserts, and more.
Champagne to try: Bruno Paillard Premiere Cuvée Champagne
Parting Thoughts
We hope this article has enlightened you about the various options available for giving the perfect toast. You don’t have to do what everyone else does and stick to champagne, although a classic will always remain a classic. Here’s to creating unforgettable memories while sipping on an exquisite selection of wines!
Low Calories, Low Alcohol Wines – Second Encounter
About a year ago, I tried for the first time the wine deliberately produced to be in the “low calorie, low alcohol” category – you can find the story here. You might want to refer to that article as I made an effort there to explain how calories are calculated in wine, which I’m not planning to repeat today.
Back in April, I was offered to taste two of the low-calorie, low-alcohol wines – and this is where the story started. To put things in perspective – the “low calories, low alcohol” Pinot Noir I tasted a year ago had 124 calories per standard glass – versus 154 calories in the glass of full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon – with 30 calories difference, you make your own conclusions. To be clear, I relegate the “low calories” sentiment to pure marketing – therefore when I got an email with an offer to review two low-calorie wines, my first inclination was to respectfully decline. Also, the wine labels in the picture had a clear message depicted with the standout letters LO CA – I attributed CA to California which was also kind of a letdown as I prefer Californian wines to be unmanipulated.
After skimming (sic!) through the email I wrote back a reply (tirade, rather) explaining how I would only write about wines if I like them, and I wouldn’t write about them if I don’t like them – of course, this was obvious, but nevertheless, I decided for some reason to stress it and then agreed to try the wines.
A few days later I got the wines and then it was time to taste them. I took pictures of the bottles and studied the labels of the wines I was about to open. The wines are from California, so it is given that the white wine is Chardonnay, and the red should be Cabernet Sauvignon… Malbec? Why does it say Malbec? Malbec from California? What an unusual choice for the low-calorie wine!
oohhh…
Why does it say “Argentina” on the label?
Ah, the wines are from Argentina! LO CA simply stands for LOw CAlories, that CA has nothing to do with California (also “loca” means “crazy” in Spanish, but this is probably unrelated?). And the wines are produced not by some unknown little winery but by Domaine Bousquet, possibly the best organic wine producer from Argentina and one of my favorite producers overall as so far I haven’t had a bottle of wine from Domaine Bousquet that I didn’t like. And now I feel embarrassed.
Remember I told you that I skimmed through the email instead of actually reading it (horrible habit, I know)? If would carefully read the email this embarrassing situation would’ve been avoided, as I would just gladly accept the wines from Domaine Bousquet – I quickly rushed to write an apologetic email explaining my error in judgment.
From here on I was a lot more encouraged to taste the wines, and now was really looking forward to the first sip.
In almost 35 years of its existence (while vacationing in Argentina, Frenchman Jean Bousquet purchased 1,000 acres of arid desert in Gualtallary Valley in Uco Valley in 1990, the beginning), the folks at Domaine Bousquet accomplished truly a lot – a lot more than thousands and thousands of other wineries accomplished in their lifetime. Domaine Bousquet produces 4 million liters (the equivalent of 5.3 million bottles) of wine 95% of which is exported to 50 countries. More importantly, the winery started practicing organic viticulture in 1997, and today it is USDA-certified organic, Ecocert-approved, and Regenerative Organic Certified™. To make sure you can fully appreciate it, there are only 21 regenerative organic certified wineries in the world at the moment of this writing and Domaine Bousquet was the first winery in Argentina to obtain this certification.
How do you make your wines low calorie, low alcohol without any manipulation? I didn’t think of it, but as I started working on this post I had to read a bit about the wines I was tasting, and it appears that it is easy 😀you just harvest early.
Here is the information from the winery notes for these two wines:
“Grapes were harvested in the early summer, between late January and early February, about two months earlier than for standard bottlings. To guarantee optimum quality, different parcels were picked at different times. The grapes were then fermented in stainless steel tanks for 12-17 days. Bottling followed shortly after to ensure peak freshness, preserve its varietal typicity, and achieve a fruity and expressive character.”
Now, the culmination point – my impressions after tasting the wines.
2023 Domaine Bouquet LO CA USDA Organic Chardonnay Uco Valley (9.5% ABV, $14, Residual Sugar: 1,21; Acidity / PH: 7.72/3.21; 75 Calories):
This was an interesting experience. The nose was muted, and on the palate, there was still not much except the acidity. The wine had nothing but the acidity. Dont’ get me wrong – it was drinkable, but it was truly competing with Muscadet for the title of “Best oyster wine”. I would be more receptive to this wine if the label wouldn’t say Chardonnay, but instead simply said “white wine”, as I have certain varietal expectations for Chardonnay wines. Over the next few days, the wine continued to be drinkable and complexity increased a bit, but still the acidity was the key element.
Verdict: Food wine. I would love it with oysters, and I’m sure you would too. You can probably have a glass on its own on a hot summer day, but better have the food ready.
2023 Domaine Bouquet LO CA USDA Organic Malbec Uco Valley (9.5% ABV, $14, Residual Sugar: 1,21; Acidity / PH: 5.62/3.62; 79 Calories)
This wine was even more interesting than the Chardonnay. Beautiful ruby color. Nose of the fresh, just harvested wild berries, delightful. The palate offered the same berry medley, fresh wild berries all the way but without structural support, and of course acidity driven. This wine reminded me of how Beaujolais Nouveau was 10 years ago, just fresh berries and nothing else. The wine lasted for a few days, gaining a bit more complexity (a welcomed development). I wouldn’t say it is my wine, but if you are looking for a refreshing wine for a hot summer day, this might do it. And I only realized now, when I’m writing this, that I should’ve chilled the wine and it probably would make it more interesting.
Verdict: It is drinkable, and if you are really looking to cut some calories, this might be the wine you need – just don’t overdo it, because an extra glass with low calories will instantly negate all your “low-calorie” achievements. Serve chilled.
Here you go, my friends. Two organic wines, low calorie, low alcohol – perfect to serve at your next summer party. Just have the food ready.
Travel Diaries: Europe 2024: Paris
And now it is the time for pictures – lots and lots of pictures – from our European adventure 2024, starting from our first stop – Paris.
Paris needs no introduction – an eternal city of love, a source of inspiration for all things art, a coveted destination for millions every year.
So what did we do in Paris? First, I have to mention the hotel where we were staying. Whenever possible, I’m the Marriott guy. During this trip, I used a serious number of points to pay for our stays in Paris and Rome. In Paris, we stayed at the Marriott Ambassador Opera Hotel, and I have to say that this was one of the best hotel experiences ever. Spacious rooms, the whole hotel appointed with pictures of the fragments of the sheet music, elements of ballet and dance. Just beautiful. The concierge lounge on the top floor offered great views of the city, excellent food, lots of comfortable sitting. If you are planning a trip to Paris and can figure out the way to stay there, this is an excellent hotel.
Our sightseeing included all of the usual suspects – Père Lachaise cemetery (we went there in the morning – an interesting way to start your day, but definitely worth a walk through); Louvre (no we didn’t try going inside while having only 2 full days in Paris); Montmartre with an insane amount of people – I wanted to walk around to see the painters, but it was physically impossible to get through the crowd – well, at least we saw the basilica.
We also managed to visit the Rodin Museum and Gardens on the first day (Thursday), and again we had to work our way through a significant crowd – but at least walking through the gardens was quite pleasant.
Eiffel Tower (I’m guessing freshly painted for the Olympics but I might be wrong) was, of course, an important destination – we walked around and also took a cruise to see the sunset and the Eiffel Tower brightly lit at night. A short stroll through Champs-Élysées through the scaffolding of some construction for the Olympic Games completed the experience. In the evening, we took a cruise on the Seine – just a cruise without dinner (I had a dinner cruise last year, and it was not worth it in my opinion), and I captured some beautiful sunset moments.
The next day we went to Versailles, but before we talk about it I need to lament about Paris Metro. On one hand, I believe the Paris subway is literally one of the best in the world, for sure for the tourists. At each track, there is a full list of all the stations for a given direction – as long as you know the name of the station of your destination, you have no problems orienting yourself. However, everything has two sides. To enter the subway station, you need to use a ticket which is a tiny piece of paper with a magnetic strip. Even if you buy a day pass, it still comes in the same format. Now, if this little piece of paper gets anywhere near your phone, it gets doomed. And it is doomed in a funny way – you can’t enter the station, but when you ask an agent to check it, they run it through their machine and tell you that there are no issues. I ended up storing all the tickets in my wallet and this was the only way to get those tickets to last throughout the day.
Now, Versailles. I bought timed tickets with an audio guide a few months before the trip (we had only one day available for the visit, so I couldn’t take any chances), so we had no problems getting in.
Honestly, I was reasonably unimpressed with the palace (feel free to ostracize me, but the palace was very similar to the Newport mansions). However, the gardens were absolutely beautiful – except literally none of the fountains were working, so it definitely took away from the experience.
Just to touch on food and wine – we visited a few restaurants, but didn’t have any standout experiences, so below is just a quick summary as it simply feels wrong to talk about France and not to include any pictures of the food.
Then it was Sunday, and time to go to Orly airport…
Last Bottle Sign Up ($10 credit)
Talk-A-Vino 